Hard-to-staff urban school districts increasingly rely on teachers who are certified through alternative routes to staff their classrooms. Given the accelerated design of alternative certification as well as the unique nature of schools in urban contexts, the process by which these individuals become effective teachers is essential to understand.…

This article describes a successful interdisciplinary collaboration among chemistry, humanities and English faculty members, who utilized poetry and artistic illustration to help students learn, appreciate, and enjoy chemistry. Students taking general chemistry classes were introduced to poetry writing and museum-type poster preparation during one…

Two first-grade teachers and a university researcher study children's inquiry-oriented responses to literature to better understand how children's experiences during read-alouds (and in related, later conversations) help them enlist others in their efforts to make sense of race. The authors argue teachers should be making spaces for children's…

In spite of decades of research and staff development attempts, few efforts at reforming education in our schools have been successful. This paper discusses the structure of the Triad Inservice Model, a partnership specifically designed to enable teachers to control the curriculum and their own instructional techniques, and to facilitate the…

This is a year-long case study of Lakeview (Vermont) Elementary and Middle School's efforts to create an outdoor environment and improve students learning opportunities with a transdisciplinary curriculum project called "Ventures." It details the interplay of partnerships among administrators, teachers, students, parents, a local…

An action research study investigated the relationship between literary development and integrated instruction in visual arts (illustration) and language arts. Subjects were students in a second-grade classroom and in an art room in a public school of 500 students in an affluent part of a suburban community. Interactions were examined between…

The success of Computer Science Applications 109, Information Retrieval Skills, at Doane College (Nebraska) is the result of a team effort. Until the fall of 1993, the class was taught by a single instructor. During the training of a new librarian, it was discovered that a team approach might benefit the students as well as the library faculty,…

This study analyzed personal and collaborative reflective activities and their effect on the development of a graduate student as both a learner and a teacher. As a learner, the graduate student kept a reflective journal for 5 consecutive quarters (15 months). Collaboration with colleagues took place in both formal and informal settings and…

The collaborative schools networks are an important means for modernizing education in the Netherlands. The freedom of organization allowed by the Dutch educational system results in schools having more responsibility for their own financial affairs, task differentiation for staff, and curriculum organization and structure. Nearly 70 percent of…

A systematic way to create collaborative school improvement is provided. The currently expanding role of administrators as staff developers is explored; 10 strategies are listed for the principal to use as a key player in staff development. Two specific organization development problem-solving strategies, Situation-Target-Plan (S-T-P) and Force…

This paper discusses the benefits of the team approach to teaching mathematics to elementary children with visual impairments in inclusive settings and offers strategies for classroom teachers and team teaching. Strategies for classroom teachers include: (1) avoiding the use of words such as "this", "that", and "there", that will be meaningless to…

The Professional Development Schools Model (PDSM) allows universities and schools to work together at developing, implementing, and delivering meaningful professional development experiences for practicing educators. One such program is the Utah-Local Educators' Action Research Network (U-LEARN). U-LEARN is a 1-year, 8-credit-hour graduate course…

This paper explores the topic of mentoring and its practical implications. Mentoring requirements have changed over time. Today's mentors are influential people who significantly help others reach major life goals. Mentoring has to address broad, dynamic goals in today's society. Benefits for mentors can include enhanced self-esteem, rejuvenated…

The No Child Left Behind Act and the reauthorization of federal special education legislation have brought increased pressure for educators. School reformers have set higher standards and teachers are responsible for ensuring that students meet them. Students with disabilities and other special needs generally are expected to achieve the same…

Eileen Simmons, a veteran teacher-consultant from the Oklahoma State University Writing Project, describes collaboration among writing project teacher-consultants and site-based teachers to plan professional development before, during, and after a summer writing camp for students at their school. This model, which has been adapted in a variety of…